Best Tortoise Species for Beginner in Missouri?

TechnoCheese

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Messages
4,505
Location (City and/or State)
Lewisville, Texas
Yes, I mean Greeks, I just love the golden variation that you can find. I think they’re beautiful. I was researching (a BUNCH!) and found this article
http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Leopard-Tortoise/ where it states that an adult leopard tortoise can be housed in a 6ft long 4ft wide pen, but I’m sure this isn’t true? I could easily do 6’4, I could even go bigger! But I would think a leopard would be way too big for such a pen?
I have read the beginner mistakes forum and it was very interesting.
How big is your Oli?
Thanks!

Yeah, don’t follow the tortoise advice on reptiles magazine. Their care sheets are terrible for anything with a shell. They recommend that you house a pair of adult Russians, a highly territorial species that should never be kept in pairs, in a 4x2 foot enclosure. That’s the enclosure size we recommend for hatchlings.
 

AllieKat1997

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2018
Messages
103
Location (City and/or State)
Missouri
Yeah, don’t follow the tortoise advice on reptiles magazine. Their care sheets are terrible for anything with a shell. They recommend that you house a pair of adult Russians, a highly territorial species that should never be kept in pairs, in a 4x2 foot enclosure. That’s the enclosure size we recommend for hatchlings.

Hello!
Yeah... I figured their information was rather... lacking. It’s good to know not to follow their advice. I hope nobody takes their words to heart because that would be really bad and unfortunate for the animals. :( I’m glad I joined the forum for better advice!
 

TechnoCheese

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Messages
4,505
Location (City and/or State)
Lewisville, Texas
Hello!
Yeah... I figured their information was rather... lacking. It’s good to know not to follow their advice. I hope nobody takes their words to heart because that would be really bad and unfortunate for the animals. :( I’m glad I joined the forum for better advice!

I’m a moderator of a reptile forum type place, and you wouldn’t believe how many people there are following it :(
 

AllieKat1997

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2018
Messages
103
Location (City and/or State)
Missouri
I’m a moderator of a reptile forum type place, and you wouldn’t believe how many people there are following it :(

Oh wow. That’s just horrible. I would hope some would use common sense... like I knew a 20 pound leopard tortoise would be horribly squished in a 6ft by 4ft habitat, despite the fact that their website said it would be okay. That’s why I believe research is sooo important. I’m not getting my baby until probably this upcoming summer, so 2019, and here I am researching away! I want the perfect fit so not to stress out the animal. I wish more people researched and double checked resources. I suppose all we can do is keep an eye out and help people when we can. :)
 

TechnoCheese

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Messages
4,505
Location (City and/or State)
Lewisville, Texas
Oh wow. That’s just horrible. I would hope some would use common sense... like I knew a 20 pound leopard tortoise would be horribly squished in a 6ft by 4ft habitat, despite the fact that their website said it would be okay. That’s why I believe research is sooo important. I’m not getting my baby until probably this upcoming summer, so 2019, and here I am researching away! I want the perfect fit so not to stress out the animal. I wish more people researched and double checked resources. I suppose all we can do is keep an eye out and help people when we can. :)

I agree entirely.
 
Top